Sarbloh Bibeki Ban

[gurdssingh]

I personally found the uncles ji's on featherstone road very welcoming. I only recently have got into Sikhi I still have a hair cut but they never looked down on me and have been very understanding, as I am married to a none Sikh. They have given my kids free books also.

Obviously with time things change. So if there are people out there who feel they can connect with the kids and perform the gurmat veechar, why do you not contact the Sikh missionary society and offer your seva. Please expalin to them how you can benefit the future generation. The uncles are understanding and their aim is to educate the future generations. If you feel you can perform the task I am sure they will not refuse your help.

With regards to the sarbloh bibeki ban I feel I am in no postioin to comment. I only wanted to highlight the good work of the uncle jis of welcoming all.

[Bir_Ras]

This camp is not affiliated or linked to the Ludhiana Sikh Missionary College. The original founders who wished to do Parchaar and make Gurmat literature available to the Sangat used the name "missionary" in the sense of "parchaar". But perhaps the word's meaning has changed over time and needs to be looked at.

In regards to the camp itself, some of the same uncles and youngsters who are involved in the Sikh Student Camp which has now rebranded as 'Sikh Summer Retreat' after all the embarrassment they caused themselves are involved in the Sikh Missionary Society camp. Perhaps this is a reflection of their stand on Gurmat.

The current Sikh Missionary Camp is described by people who have been there as "a Punjabi Camp" where little or no emphasis on the importance of of Rehit, Amrit-vela, or Gurbani vichaar. The uncles are totally disconnected from reality and don't want to let go of their positions despite outgrowing the sewa.

It would be nice if the camp moved on with the times and the uncles embraced Gursikhs who could do sewa at the camp and the sangat could benefit but they totally detest anyone affiliated or associated with DamDami Taksal and I know people have been asked on the phone whether they follow or support DamDami Taksal before being allowed to go to the camp to do sewa. Similarly, they don't like anyone associated with Akhand Kirtani Jatha or anyone who observes Bana and dietary Rehit to be part of the camp and to do any type of sewa because following "strict" Rehit may "confuse" or "mislead" campers. It sometimes feels like they are more happy for KFC eating "loose" Amritdharis to come and sewa at camp rather than Gursikhs who take Sikhi seriously and are "living" Sikhi.

[Ksinghni]

wjkk wjkf

I have just come across this thread. My neice went to the camp and she told me that it was a " Punjabi Camp " rather than a " Gurmat Camp ". The majority of group leaders were non-Amritdharis who didn't seem to inspire any of the campers to take Amrit and follow Guru Ji's Rahit.

My neice told me that there is one Gursikh young bibi )which I assume is the same Gursikh Bibi mentioned in the initial post who was refused to make food in the kitchen and was also refused to have anyone bring her food from outside of the camp) The Bibi went to sleep hungry for the first day and the rest of the week she ate pasta brought to her by Bhai Navreet Singh from a local Gursikh's house on Tuesday and ate it for the whole week. She had to keep the pasta in room instead of keeping it in the kitchen fridge because of the intolerance and lack of respect shown by the organisers and kitchen sewadars. Although I'm not Amritdhari it makes me feel sick and disgusted that someone can treat another human being like this. If someone is following a Rahit that they wish to eat from Amritdharis or cook their own food then why should they be all food and made to starve and eat in secrecy? Where is the piaar and tolerance?

The comments about Taksalis and AKJs not being allowed in the camp and sewadars being cancelled last minute because they keep Rahit which makes the organisers feel insecure about themselves is clear discrimination which people like the BNP would do! I wouldn't expect this BNP type of thinking to be found in people organising a " Gurmat Camp ".

My neice also told me that Bhai Navreet Singh did a really good talk on Monday and Tuesday but apparently he had also been asked not to come to the camp last minute because he keeps Sarbloh Rahit but he still came. My neice was very inspired and gave up eating meat hearing Bhai Sahib's talk. Sadly one of the organiser uncles, Bahadur Singh, kept emphasising throughout the whole camp and discussions that Sikhs can eat anything they want as long as it is not Halaal. It seems that the camp would prefer camps to eat Mc Donalds and Burger King than allow people who keep some discipline in what they eat to attend the camp or do sewa.

I hope something can be done about this camp as it sends a wrong impression to campers.

Really upset and disappointed.

[GurSa Singh]

Some good and some bad experiences. I was talking to some kids who attended the SMS camp. Fortunately, despite the likes of Bahadur Singh and others, these kids actually enjoyed the camp. Most of the clever ones switched off when Bahadur rattled on about himself and his amazing view on the world. It's funny how all the kid mention the "weird" Bahadur Singh before anything else.

There is a problem though and that is no other group or Gurdwara in the UK is doing a 7 day sleep over Sikh Camp for children for that age group. So by default, SMS camp will be the first option of parents who are looking for that kind of camp regardless of the poor quality of the parchaar, living conditions and the bad attitudes.

[Jallebi]

During the camp there was an issue between some female campers and a young female Sewadar. The issue was that girls, aged 16 and 17, were saying that their female Sewadar cuts her eyebrows and how it is wrong considering as she representing the 'Gurmat Camp'.

On the morning of Saturday 31st August, the female sewadar decided to 'punish' the girls for asking her why she cuts her eyebrows by making them clean the toilets. The girls were given bleach to clean the toilets. Not having done this before or used bleach before, they began using the bleach to clean the toilets as you would any other cleaning liquid. The sewadar gave no health and safety guidance etc. The girls got bleach on their hands and one somehow got bleach wiped on their arm which ended up burning their hands and arm.

The girls were in agonizing pain and clearly distressed and were taking to the first aid room. The girls were kept there for 4 hours with the door shut. The camp sewadars told them they are banned from telling anyone about the incident and that this should not escape the room. The girls were reluctant to even till their parents! When the girls told what happened to them they were crying and really upset at how they were treated at the camp.

If the SMS Camp sewadars cut their eyebrows which is seems to be the case for the majority then perhaps they should look within themselves and accept there wrong doings and aim to be decent role models rather than bullying and punishing campers for speaking the truth

[CaptainC]

During the camp there was an issue between some female campers and a young female Sewadar. The issue was that girls, aged 16 and 17, were saying that their female Sewadar cuts her eyebrows and how it is wrong considering as she representing the 'Gurmat Camp'.

On the morning of Saturday 31st August, the female sewadar decided to 'punish' the girls for asking her why she cuts her eyebrows by making them clean the toilets. The girls were given bleach to clean the toilets. Not having done this before or used bleach before, they began using the bleach to clean the toilets as you would any other cleaning liquid. The sewadar gave no health and safety guidance etc. The girls got bleach on their hands and one somehow got bleach wiped on their arm which ended up burning their hands and arm.

The girls were in agonizing pain and clearly distressed and were taking to the first aid room. The girls were kept there for 4 hours with the door shut. The camp sewadars told them they are banned from telling anyone about the incident and that this should not escape the room. The girls were reluctant to even till their parents! When the girls told what happened to them they were crying and really upset at how they were treated at the camp.

If the SMS Camp sewadars cut their eyebrows which is seems to be the case for the majority then perhaps they should look within themselves and accept there wrong doings and aim to be decent role models rather than bullying and punishing campers for speaking the truth

Sometimes its important to get the facts right... the girls were not punished for having done eyebrows but because one sevadars was found plucking a couple hairs from the other sevadars eyebrows in the presence of child campers. There are mixed opinions on whether the punishment was right or not, and although I do not agree with the extent they were punished to, what they did during camp wasn't excusable. It was made very clear that no matter what you do outside of camp, you comply to the rules set by the organisers whilst being in the camp which was a ban of make up, removing hair, using hair products such as hair straighteners.

Having been present at the whole camp, I don't remember seeing the occurrence of any manmat activities apart from that idiotic representative of Sikh Missionary society who walked around giving his views to people when no one really cared. The whole camp only consisted of TWO members of the Sikh Missionary Society.

Although I cannot justify the foolishness of the rules set by the organisers such as the ban of keeping bibek during the camp, I would not go as far as calling this camp a "PUNJABI" camp. People should get up and organise camps themselves instead of criticizing the only camp of its nature. Complaining on the internet will get you anywhere because I very much doubt Sikh missionary Society Uncles browse this website. Even if they do, they will never change their views or stop the camp. Organise your own one week residential camp for children that age instead of coming here and complaining about these things. Accommodate for the children instead of doing nothing. GurSa Singh has said it right,

There is a problem though and that is no other group or Gurdwara in the UK is doing a 7 day sleep over Sikh Camp for children for that age group. So by default, SMS camp will be the first option of parents who are looking for that kind of camp regardless of the poor quality of the parchaar, living conditions and the bad attitudes.